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Exercise and mental health

“Exercise is good for you,” is something you’ve probably heard 1000 times in your life at minimum. Usually, people who say this are referring to physical health, and they’re right. Exercising can increase your lifespan, heart health, physical strength, stamina, flexibility, athletic performance and your looks. However, all those points are about as obvious as “the sky is blue”, “confidence is attractive” and “the Leafs will lose game 7 again”. What people don’t talk about is exercise and mental health.

Exercise on Mental-Not physical health

Not only have professionals been pushing for people with depression to exercise. This is due to the effects of exercise on your endorphin levels, and having the same impact on patients, sometimes an even greater one than anti-depressants. However, it can help you when you’re not depressed as well.

Other things that exercising can help reduce are stress and anxiety. The physical energy that you get can alleviate anxiety. Also, it helps by affecting your body in the opposite way of stress, A stressed out person will always have tensed up muscles and a tightened chest. Exercise does the opposite: it opens up your chest and loosens your muscles (if done properly). Just be sure to stretch properly before your workout so you don’t pull something.

Different styles

You might not want to spend dozens of dollars a month on a gym membership, and that’s fine. Going out for a run is perfectly acceptable, dumbbells are a one-time purchase that can cost very little, and there are plenty of home exercises, many of which don’t require any equipment at all. I would definitely recommend going to a gym and getting a personal trainer if possible, but if you are strapped for cash, there are plenty of free guides out there, which when combined with home exercises, give you a great workout program that you don’t have to spend a dime on.

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People who exercise regularly tend to do so because it gives them an enormous sense of well-being. They feel more energetic throughout the day, sleep better at night, have sharper memories, and feel more relaxed and positive about themselves and their lives. And it s also powerful medicine for many common mental health challenges.